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IBC-13—Philippine TV viewing 54 year after
March 20, 2014 54 year after overhauling its image and station name, IBC-13 rises to be feel-good viewing habits, as proven by the network's strong showing in the Mega Manila and nationwide ratings survey. IBC Executive Vice-President (EVP), Lito Ocampo Cruz, knows all the figures by heart. But even the network executive was prone to moments of awe and "wow" as the numbers and percentages—boldly and clearly painting IBC-13's steady climb to the ratings summit in the past 18 years—were illuminated from the projector board. "We're moving faster. We're moving in an escalating pace and everyone at the Kapinoy network, we're very please with the uptrend," Cruz told the entertainment reporters during a recent press conference held at Dish in Rockwell last March 1. The "uptrend" was anchored largely on the PBA, as well as Drew Arellano's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Saturday), Robi Domingo's The Million Second Quiz and Anja Aguilar's Born to be a Superstar (Sunday), which has recently climb up the ratings survey in Mega Manila and nationwide area for weekend top-raters. Not to be outdone, the top-rating primetime news program Express Balita and Janella Salvador's Janella in Wonderland are also gained viewership in their respective timeslots during weeknights. IBC-13's President and CEO Boots Anson-Roa told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal): "Our objective is to changing the TV landscape and be able to create your feel-good viewing habits. Ang maraming tao kasi akala nila Dos and Siyete; gusto namin mga Kapinoy sa iyong perception mo." The shift of IBC-13 was made possible after the network entered into a long-term block airtime agreement with Viva Entertainment and Asian Television Content (ATC). The tie up consequently allowed the network to beef up its programming, which consequently boosted its chances to compete against ABS-CBN and GMA-7. The network's new identity, coupled with aggressive promotion and interesting programs, immediately made an impression among viewers right on its first month of reinvention. But finding the right formula to success did not happen overnight as hits and misses shaped the network's journey in realizing its objective. STEADY TURNAROUND. While the newly dressed network's target the Filipino feel-good viewing habits was noble, some industry insiders raised eyebrows on its feasibility. If the people behind the network were dead serious when they coined the slogan, Pinoy Ang Dating! and Ito'ng Bagong Channel 13, IBC-13 continued targeting the Asian market and viewers who were tried to be the boobtube fare offered by the more established networks. The rating figures started ringing for all timeslots, with the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? making the big leap to the top spot last March 15 with a rating of 30.1%, while the reality singing search show Born to be a Superstar is also the big leap to the top spot last March 16 with a rating of 34.6%. "For PBA (since 1996), Express Balita (since July 13, 1998), Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (since November 20, 2000) and Born to be a Superstar (since September 30, 2012), again for it's four of our biggest shows of IBC-13, so we want to maximize that primetime as well. "Actually, let's say, for balance here, within that primetime slot weekdays, again we're gonna be a fantasy and drama series and that's already watch for. So, the primetime news program Express Balita ranked as the number one most-watched newscast in the country with a rating of 31.9%, beating ABS-CBN's TV Patrol (30.4%) and GMA-7's 24 Oras (13.3%), while the popular and top-rating fantaserye Janella in Wonderland won its timeslot with a rating of 38.5%, beating Dyesebel (32.8%) and Kambal Sirena (17.9%). Kapinoy Primetime remained the number three slot for Mario Maurer and Ingrid dela Paz' starrer Only Me and You, a romantic light drama series and the jewel of drama Cristine Reyes' drama series Maghihintay Sa'yo. The success of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, The Million Second Quiz, Born to be a Superstar and the other programs encouraged the network's bigwigs to further intensify their campaign by strengthening all the timeslot brackets. Meanwhile, basketball fans who watched the flagship program PBA, which is the 2014 PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioners' Cup for only one game every Saturday and Sunday.